Exeter then survive late Bath siege to book first final since 2021
Live Reporting
Steve Mather, Deepak Mahay and Ben Miller
'Here we go again'published at 16:23 BST 13 June
16:23 BST 13 June
Bath 26-17 Exeter
John Lockyer Former Exeter Chiefs captain on BBC Radio Devon
Bath were a little bit slack at competing in the line-out. Exeter won it beautifully through Dafydd Jenkins.
The ball bobbled rather nastily as Stephen Varney got hold of it, but the pass was a beauty and Henry Slade was able to feed Ben Hammersley.
He's come on as a replacement and got Exeter's second try. It really is game on - here we go again.
Here come the replacements for Bath. Johann van Graan will be saying to his players 'you might have thought you'd got this game won, but you've got another 25 minutes to play yet.'
'Bath seem to have gone to sleep a bit'published at 16:22 BST 13 June
16:22 BST 13 June
Bath 26-17 Exeter
Martin Haag Former Bath lock and coach on BBC Radio Bristol
That was really well executed. You don't see many first phase tries but that was tremendous. Short little passes, really hard, really direct. The line-out wasn't that clean but Exeter's backs made an absolutely brilliant decision to go up the middle and Slade puts the final pass in.
Exeter are back in this game!
The crowd are trying to get up for it now. Ten minutes into the half and Bath have seemed to have gone to sleep a little bit. That's just what Exeter wanted.
Well, our global readers are far and wide. We have a new 'I'm the furthest away' winner....
I'll see your Sydney and raise you Auckland, New Zealand. Bath v Northampton should make a very good final. Really should go back to sleep as have to be in work in 4 hours.
Graham, Auckland
I am listening from Vancouver Island, on the west coast of Canada. I went to Uni at both Exeter and Bath, so am happy to see either go to the final.
Rob Baxter isn't a coach who outwardly displays a huge amount of emotion often and while the other Chiefs coaches around him clapped their hands and cheered as Ben Hammersley ran over for that try, Baxter - sat to my left - simply leaned back in his seat.
Exeter had made the substitutions and have slowed Bath down during the opening 10 minutes of this second half but they needed that score.
Still just under 30 minutes to go and they are not out of this tie. Far from it, now.
Those Exeter front row subs have given their side a new injection of optimism.
A word of warning for the men from Devon - the last time they scored a try they conceded immediately afterwards so they will not want to do that again.
The Chiefs are definitely playing with more confidence now!
It's really well worked across the pitch from the line-out and Henry Slade delays his pass nicely to draw the defenders and put sub Ben Hammersley through a gap to score.
Slade then adds the conversion to reduce the gap to nine.
The supporters are getting plenty of chance to soak up the sun and blue skies - as this second half has been very stop-start, which will be much to Bath's advantage.
'Bath have the bench that can take the game away'published at 16:14 BST 13 June
16:14 BST 13 June
Bath 26-10 Exeter
Chris Jones BBC rugby union commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live
When you've got someone like Sam Underhill who hits everything and then Alfie Barbeary is a just a bona fide ball carrier, it's a good balance.
Even if Bath have not been at their vintage best in the past few weeks, they still have that bench which can just take the game away from the opposition.
There is hope for Exeter - they came back from 26-0 down in the league game before eventually losing 33-26, but in a knockout game Bath are going to be so, so mentally focused.
Exeter have possession but are having to go from deep.
Stephen Varney sends up a steepling box kick from the breakdown and it's a great contest in the air between Bath's Joe Cokanasiga and Exeter's Olly Woodburn.
Like most contests today so far at least it's Bath that get the better of it.
'Bath have to finish the job'published at 16:07 BST 13 June
16:07 BST 13 June
Bath 26-10 Exeter
Martin Haag Former Bath lock and coach on BBC Radio Bristol
Image source, Getty Images
Thomas du Toit has been phenomenal today. His power, his scrum, everything about him. So has Beno Obano, those two have been outstanding today and really bringing it.
If Bath get the points up they'll no doubt probably save a few legs for next week, but got to finish the job here because Exeter have got experience of coming back. They won't think that this game is over yet.
So, Bath have got to put it to bed and then they can start resting people and thinking about next week.
Simply, Exeter need to get their hands on the ball a lot more if they are going to pull off one of their most memorable comebacks in the sunshine at the Rec.
But the ball is in Bath's hands again early on here.
John Lockyer
